Self-censorship run amok for fears of "big brother" FCC fines

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren () vortex com>
Date: Mon, 17 Jan 2005 19:59:55 -0800 (PST)
To: <dave () farber net>
Cc: <lauren () vortex com>
Subject: Self-censorship run amok for fears of "big brother" FCC fines

Dave,

This is getting far past ridiculous.  A tiny group of right-wing
wackos filing complaints is causing the FCC to act even crazier
than its usual incarnation, setting loose a cascade of bizarre
self-censorship actions that make about as much sense as TSA
airport security operations.

As noted in:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/01/17/obscured.cartoon.ap/index.html

the Fox network -- not known for timidity in low-brow programming --
has now protectively "blurred" the posterior of a *cartoon character*,
for fear, they say, of FCC reprisal.  This same cartoon
apparently ran without problems five years ago.  Meanwhile, PBS is
editing out glimpses of nudity from other programming, demonstrating
all too well how far they've descended into the "take no chances"
mundane status quo.  Even non-nudity scenes -- anything relating
to the human body or sexuality that can generate a complaint from anyone,
now appear to be at risk.

Of course, scenes of contestants eating rats in reality... oops, I
mean "unscripted" programs are still A-OK.

The FCC and broadcasters expect consumers to shell out the big bucks
for broadcast digital/HDTV receivers so that Congress can get their
precious analog spectrum back.  But who in their right mind would
spend that kind of money for the sort of highly-filtered/censored
broadcast dreck that is rapidly making the "vast TV wasteland" of
yesteryear look like the golden age of television?

--Lauren--
Lauren Weinstein
lauren () pfir org or lauren () vortex com or lauren () privacyforum org
Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
http://www.pfir.org/lauren
Co-Founder, PFIR - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
Co-Founder, Fact Squad - http://www.factsquad.org
Co-Founder, URIICA - Union for Representative International Internet
                     Cooperation and Analysis - http://www.uriica.org
Moderator, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy
Lauren's Blog: http://lauren.vortex.com


------ End of Forwarded Message


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